South Hadley School Committee listens, doesn't act, as Luke Gelinas, Darby O'Brien demand resignations of Gus Sayer and some members

View full sizeThe Republican | Dave RobackDarby O'Brien, left, looks on as Luke Gelinas speaks to the South Hadley School Committee during the public speaking section of the committee's meeting at South Hadley High School on Wednesday.

SOUTH HADLEY – As promised, Darby O’Brien and Luke Gelinas Wednesday night demanded the resignation of School Superintendent Gus Sayer and any School Committee member who served on the board before the April elections.

But, forewarned by a Tuesday press conference by the South Hadley residents, committee Co-Chairman Dale Carey told those in attendance at the public speaking session of the board’s meeting that members would listen but not respond.

O’Brien and Gelinas based their demands on a Monday ruling by a Hampshire Superior Court judge that 2010 executive sessions to approve a contract extension and pay raise to Sayer violated the state Open Meeting Law. The judge said officials deliberated tried to mislead the public about the purpose of the executive sessions.

O’Brien and Gelinas have been vociferous in their complaints against Sayer and other school officials after the suicide of freshman Phoebe Prince, who killed herself in 2010 after relentless bullying by classmates.

Gelinas said during the public speaking session Wednesday that the town and School Committee should be made to apologize to the Prince family and the superintendent “must immediately return any funds from the unlawful pay raise he received.”

The judge ruled the pay raise invalid, but said the complaint filed in court by O’Brien and Gelinas was too late to invalidate the February vote to extend the superintendent’s contract.

O’Brien, in speaking during the session, chastised the committee saying, “you represent school kids. What is the statement to the community if we allow members to participate in secret meetings?”

He then asked Co-Chairman Barry Waite, a new board member, to ask Sayer for his resignation, saying the superintendent had “failed this town for the past year and a half. We will continue to take this to the district attorney, the attorney general and the U.S. attorney until we straighten this out.”

Waite said after the meeting he did not plan to ask for anyone’s resignation. “It’s really not my position to do so. These people were elected and we do not have a law of recall.”